Machine for closing the ends of paper tubes.



APPLICATION FILED DEG. 5,-1907 Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHBETSSHEET 1.

wihwomzo F. BUTCHER.

MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE ENDS OF PAPER TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 5, 1907 1,012,530. Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

| IIIIII 1| UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE ENDS OF PAPER TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed December 5, 1907. Serial No. 405,280.

To all whom it man concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK BUTCHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Versailles, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Closing the Ends of Paper Tubes, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for closing the endsof paper tubes, the object of which is to provide a mechanism whichfirst by pressure crimps inwardly an extended end of the tube, and thenby increased rotary pressure closely mechanism which first by ressurecrimps portion so as to produce an a solutely closed end for the tubewhich has a smooth outer surface.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a side elevation of a machineembody-.

ing my invention. Fig. 2,.is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3, is atop plan View thereof. Fig. 4, is a longitudinal sectional view of theclosing tool with the extended end of the tube in position therein readyto be crimped and closed. Fig. 5, is a similar view showing the tubeafter the crimping operation is performed. Fig. 6, is a sectionalperspective view of the closing tool. In carrying out my invention, asuitable table or support 1 is provided, and at one end of this table orsupport a hollow shaft 2 is journaled in suitable bearings 3. This shaft2 carries a suitable pulley 4 located between the said bearings by meansof which the hollow shaft is rapidly rotated. Passing through thishollow shaft is a toolcarrying shaft 5, and this shaft 5 islongitudinally movable through the hollow shaft 2, but is caused torotate therewith by reason of afeather or key 6. The outer end of thisshaft 5 carries a circumferentiallygrooved head 7 with which a yoke 8upon the upper end of an intermediately-pivoted lever 9 co-acts for thepurpose of movin the shaft 5 through the hollow shaft 2. suitabletreadle 10 is connected with the opposite end of the lever 9 b means ofa link 11, and a contracting spring 12 has its lower end connected withthe treadle and its upper end connected with the table or support 1. Thespring 12 serves to hold the parts normally in the positions shown infull lines Fig. 1.

A tube-mandrel member 13 has its outer end pivotally supported at thepoint 14, whereby it may swing vertically, and-it is normally held inits upper position by means of a suitable springplunger 15. This member13 is connected with a treadle 16 by means of a suitable rod or link 17.Placed upon the member 13 is an adjustable sleeve 18 adapted to befirmly held in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw 19 andforming a stop against which the end of the tube abuts to limit theoutward movement thereof. The tube to have its end closed is placed uponthe outer end of the member 13, and the inner end of the tube abuttingagainst the sleeve 18.

The closing tool 20 is secured in a suitable holder or chuck 21 which isattached to the inner end ,of the shaft 5 by grasping the end 22 of thetool. The tool consists essentially of two members, a winged member 23and a sleeve member 24. One end of the sleeve member is reduced andinternally screw-threaded as shown at 25, and the wings 26 of the member23 have their edges screw-threaded as shown, to engage the threads ofthe sleeve 24. The wings 26 have their outer crimping ends 23 greaterthan the bore 24 of the sleeve 24. The normal position of the members 23is that shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The inner ends of the wings 26 areconcaved or curved radially as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, which crimpsthe end of the tube more readily and rounds the end thereof. Thisconstruction of closing tool forms passageways for the separated fibersof the paper tube, and prevents the clogging thereof.

The winged member 23 is elongated for the purpose of takingup the wearwhich is the conseguent result of the friction thereon of the en of thepaper tube, and the sleeve 24 is detachable for the purpose of enablingthe re-shaping of the inner end of the winged member. A V-shapedcenteringand-tube-holding member 27 projects from the support or table1, which serves to center the paper tube 28 in respect to the closingtool and to prevent the paper tube from beipg revolved by the frictionof the closing too In the operation of the invention, a paper tube isplaced upon the outer end of the tube-carrying member 13 with its innerend against the sleeve 18, which has been adjusted so that the oppositeend of the paper tube projects the required distance beyond the end ofthe member 13. The member 13 is then brought to the position shown indotted lines, Fig. 1, by depressing the treadle 16, the member 27serving to center and hold the tube against rotation. Therapidly-rotating closing tool 20 is then caused to embrace the end ofthe paper tube by pressing downward on the treadle 10. As the rap-- idlyrevolving tool engages the projecting end of the paper tube its wall isfirst crimped in and the continued movement of the tool toward thetube-carrying mandrel 13 compresses the crimped in portion against theend of the mandrel 13, and the rapidly-rotating tool causes the outersurface of the crimped in portion to be intimately combined, whichproduces a closed in end for the paper tube having a smooth outersurface.

I find that the end of the tube may be closed with this machine when thepaper of the tube is dry, but the best results are produced by firstdampening the projecting end of the paper tube, and I preferably dampenit with paste or cement.

In the operation of this device, some of i the fiber of the paper tubeis disintegrated,

and is combined with the end of the tube, while other fibers becomedetached, and these detached fibers are lodged into the spaces betweenthe wings 26. By this ar- 7 rangement the mandrel 13 forms a support forthe tube and prevents it from collapsing under the crimping pressure ofthe extended end of the tube, and forms a support for the inner wall ofthe crimped in portion, enabling it to be subjected to heavy pressurefor compressing the crimped in portion intimately together, and forsubjecting the outer surface of the crimped in portion to acorrespondingly heavy rotary pressure. The rapldly rotating tool causesconsiderable friction on the end of the tube, and this in practice isfound to be suflicient to practically dry the closed end of the tube, sothat when it is removed from the mandrel 13 the end of the tube is,provided with a permanent closure.

I am aware that paper tubes have had their ends closed by means of acutting tool which removed an inner portion of the wall of the tube, butin this event there was no mandrel to enable the closed in end to becompressed, and no means for compressing the closed in end and insuringa permanent closure at the end of the tube. V

So far as I am aware a machine of the character herein described has notbeen provided with a combined tube-supporting and compression mandrel,and a tube-embracing,

supporting and rotating closing device adapted to compress the, closedin portion of the tube against the end of the mandrel.

The pitch of the screw-threads on the sleeve 24 and wings 26 is suchthat the rotation of the tool and its friction against the paper tubeserves to screw the sleeve upon the winged member 23, and thus preventsany separation of these members, while at the same time providing anefficient manner of adjustin the two members, I,

I desire it to be understood that certain modifications and changes indetail of construction could be made from that herein shown anddescribed, "without departing paper tube, comprising a tube-receivingand supporting mandrel,-an adjustable stop carried thereby, a clampingand centering device for the mandrel, a rotatable crimping tool composedof a shaft having radiallyextending arms, the edges of said armsscrew-threaded, the outer ends of said arms curved to formconcavedcrimping surfaces, means for longitudinally moving the shaft, means forrotating the shaft and a cylindrical tube-inclosing member screwed uponthe threaded edges of the arms.

3. A machine for closing the end of a paper tube comprising a swingingtube receiving and supporting mandrel, an adjustable stop carried by themandrel, a clamping and centering device for the mandrel, a crimp ingtool composed of a rotatable shaft having radially-extending'arms, theedges of said arms screw-threaded, the outer ends of said arms curved toform concaved crimping surfaces, means for rotating the shaft, means formoving the shaft longitudinally while rotating, and a cylindrical tubeinclosing member screwed upon the threaded edges of the arms and havinga reduced portion to receive the tube and of a diameter less than thatof the crimping arms.

4. A machine for closing the end of the paper tube, comprising atube-receiving and supporting mandrel, laterally movable, an adjustablestop carried thereby, a centering device for the mandrel, a rotatablecrimping tool composed of a shaft having radially extending arms, theedges of said arms screwto form concaved crimping surfaces, means forlongitudinall moving the shaft, means for rotating the s aft and acylindrical tubeinclosin member screwed upon the threaded edges 0 thearms.

5. A machine for closing the end of a paer tube comprising a swingingtube receiv mg and supporting mandrel laterally movable, an adjustablestop carried by the mandrel, a centering device for the mandrel, acrimping tool composed of a rotatable shaft having radially-extendinarms, the edges of said arms scIew-threa ed, the outer ends of said armscurved to form concaved crimping surfaces, means for rotating the shaft,means for moving the shaft longitudinally while rotating, and acylindrical tube inclosing member screwed upon the threaded edges of thearms and having a reduced portion to receive the tube and of a diameterless than that of the crimping arms.

' 6. A machine for closing the end of a paper tube, comprising aswinging tube receiving and supporting mandrel laterall movable, an adustable sleeve carried y the mandrel, a centering device for themandrel, a crimping tool composed of a rotatable shaft having crimpingarms, a sleeve adjustable on said arms and inclosing the same,

